Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Local parents and sports moms, are saying that Lacrosse coach Paul Burke at GHS has recently received his 4th DWI.

If this is true Greenwich Roundup is stunned and outraged that this man still hold this position of leadership and authority!

Where is the local news coverage?

Where Are Is Hearst Newspaper Managing Editor Bruce "Lets Cover It Up" Hunter?

Why are school parents and taxpayers always kept in the dark?

Why is it that we must always learn about the Greenwich High School Headmasters leadership failures from upset and disgusted parents at GHS.

Greenwich Roundup doesn't want to raise rumors, that is is just cruel if it's not true.

However, if the coach really has four DWI's he should be going to jail.

Alternatively, someone who knows him might try to get him into AA before Greenwich children are harmed.

But I if 4 DWI arrests haven't accomplished getting him into AA, nothing will.

But in no way should Coach Burke be traveling with or be around children till this latest DWI situation is dealt with openly and transparently. We just should not take a chance with Greenwich children being around a an instructor with poor judgment and a lack of control.

Some parents are saying there some kind of meeting last night at the high school where Burke read a prepared statement.

It has been said that Burke has figured out a way to get out of the 4 times and in jail deal by having his arraignment delayed by several weeks so he only has 3 DWIs within a certain period.

Greenwich Roundup is not up on the exact specifics and was not invited to the meeting last night but heard about it from outraged Greenwich Roundup readers who were there.

There was no Greenwich Time coverage today in the paper - However, we guess that no one is surprised that Greenwich Time Managing Editor Bruce Hunter Is Once Again Helping Greenwich High School Headmaster Alan Capasso keep a lid on things.

What kind of parent would allow their

young lacrosse player to be put in this position?

Unfortunately this is the kind of role model that GHS headmaster Alan Capasso is providing for impressionable children in Greenwich.

On one hand we are telling teens that they should not drink and that there will be dire consequences if they violate Connecticut State laws and The Cardinal Code.

But on the other hand we are telling teens it is alright if your coach gets 4 DWI's.

In fact your coach gets to keep his job for something a student would get suspended or expelled for.

Why is it that student athletes get suspended for violating the Cardinal Codes prohibitions on drinking.

Breaking News

After outrage from area Catholics against a proposed state law that would strip bishops and parish pastors of their financial authority, a state Senate bill was withdrawn from consideration Tuesday.Read more Comment Share

Please See Previous Story Posted Over Four Hours Ago At 2:49 PM On Greenwich Roundup:

A controversial bill that would change the way the Catholic church governs itself has been pulled and a public hearing planned Wednesday on the issue postponed until the measure's constitutionality can be determined.

Despite the postponement, the Catholic Church is going forward with plans to rally at the Capitol. Hundreds of people, many of whom where angry about what they view as the state's inappropriate and perhaps unconstitutional incursion into church affair, were expected at the hearing.

"We are pleased that the hearing was postponed, we are concerned that the bill is very much alive," said Joseph McAleer, spokesman for the diocese of Bridgeport. "The troops are mobilized...we're as committed as ever."At a press conference this morning at the legislative office building,

Tom Gallagher of Greenwich, who has long advocated that lay people be given greater responsibilities within the church, said he has asked Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, co-chairmen of the legislature's judiciary committee, to put off the hearing until Attorney GeneralRichard Blumenthalhas reviewed the matter. .......

The proposed bill, which would take power from Catholic priests and bishops and turn it over to parishioners, sparked an angry reaction from church leaders, who questioned lawmakers motives. The bill would create lay councils of seven to 13 people to oversee the finances of local parishes, relegating Catholic pastors and bishops to an advisory role.....

In Greenwich, the Rev. Michael Moynihan resigned in January 2007 from St. Michael the Archangel Church after a preliminary audit uncovered $500,000 in spending the church couldn't account for amid what Lori said at the least represented "badly tangled" financial records.

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A controversial bill that would change the way the Catholic church governs itself has been pulled and a public hearing planned Wednesday on the issue postponed until the measure's constitutionality can be determined.

Despite the postponement, the Catholic Church is going forward with plans to rally at the Capitol. Hundreds of people, many of whom where angry about what they view as the state's inappropriate and perhaps unconstitutional incursion into church affair, were expected at the hearing.

"We are pleased that the hearing was postponed, we are concerned that the bill is very much alive," said Joseph McAleer, spokesman for the diocese of Bridgeport. "The troops are mobilized...we're as committed as ever."At a press conference this morning at the legislative office building,

Tom Gallagher of Greenwich, who has long advocated that lay people be given greater responsibilities within the church, said he has asked Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, co-chairmen of the legislature's judiciary committee, to put off the hearing until Attorney GeneralRichard Blumenthalhas reviewed the matter. ...

....The proposed bill, which would take power from Catholic priests and bishops and turn it over to parishioners, sparked an angry reaction from church leaders, who questioned lawmakers motives. The bill would create lay councils of seven to 13 people to oversee the finances of local parishes, relegating Catholic pastors and bishops to an advisory role.....

COMMENT:

Greenwich Catholics Want To Know Who Died And Appointed Tom Gallagher The New Governor.

Greenwich residents are shocked that Tom Gallagher complains to Ex-Greenwich Representative Dolly Powers, and the state proposes a bill.

Then citizen Tom Gallagher tells the state senator to pull the bill?

Greenwich Residents want to know "Who is this guy, and how do I get my representatives to respond to me as obediently as he does?"

What Greenwich residents don't realize that Tom Gallagher is the fall guy for getting state senators away from the raw and ravaging fury of Bishops and Priests endanger of loosing their personal slush fund.

Well Just Who Is This Demonized Anti-Catholic Tom Gallagher Guy?

The Grenwich Time And The Conneticut Post

Are Affraid To Tell You That .....

Tom Gallagher is a Greenwich resident whose Catholic activism extends to membership in the Knights of Columbus, Order of Malta and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, and three years as pro-bono administrator of the Mother Theresa Center in New York, said he has long believed the diocesan parishes should operate differently than the current model adopted in the late 1960s.

Tom Gallagher Is A Real Bad Guy

He MUST BE STOPPED !!!!!!

I Don't Blame Parishioners Who Only Show Up For High Holidays Slandering Tom Gallagher, A Well Intentioned Man Of Good Works.

The real question is "why is the Catholic church's leadership so afraid of independent audit of its finances by elected parishoners?"

What's wrong with openness and visibility?

Is something being covered up?

It is not just Darien.

There is one church in Waterbury whose parishoners are still waiting for real info from a Bishop Mansell commissioned investigation of possible financial fraud.

The Darien case concerned the Rev. Michael Jude Fay, who was convicted of stealing up to $1.4 million in parishioner donations to lead a life of luxury with another man. Fay spent money from Darien's St. John Church on limousines, stays at top hotels, jewelry, Italian clothing and a Florida condominium shared with the other man, auditors hired by the diocese found. About half the money he spent was kept in a secret bank account. Fay is serving a three-year prison term.

Fay shopped at Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, drove a Jaguar, attended a sports club, bought jewelry from Cartier, spent $130,000 for limo rides for himself and his mother, and stayed at hotels such as the Ritz Carlton, Hotel De Paris and the Four Seasons, according to an investigative report released last year by the Bridgeport Diocese. He spent tens of thousands of dollars on home furnishings and meals and more than $20,000 to mark the 25th anniversary of his ordination.

In Greenwich, the Rev. Michael Moynihan resigned in January 2007 from St. Michael the Archangel Church after a preliminary audit uncovered $500,000 in spending the church couldn't account for amid what Lori said at the least represented "badly tangled" financial records.

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For more than five years, Marcela Cruz and her two boys worked through the grief of losing their husband and father, respectively, by attending support groups and receiving counseling.

It was an experience that has meant the world to Cruz, a Greenwich resident who has found solace and support, as well as a chance to help her children remember their father with joy. She also is grateful to have helped others through their pain, just as she was buoyed by the kindness and understanding of others during those early days of her grief.

But late last year, after talking with her children, Cruz says she realized it was time to move on.

"I began looking at the past less painfully," she says, adding that she asked her oldest son, Victor, 11, who is named after his father, if perhaps they no longer had to go to the Den for Grieving Kids in Greenwich......

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"Democrats have crossed the line between church and state," GOP Chairman Christopher Healy said.

But last year, former state Rep. Claudia "Dolly" Powers, a Republican from Greenwich, pursued similar legislation. Powers said she submitted a proposal on behalf of constituent Tom Gallagher, a driving force behind the bill now pending before the Judiciary Committee.

"If a constituent has an issue and they bring it to any legislator, that's part of your job," Powers said.

She said she filled out a request form for the proposal to be raised in committee during the 2008 session. But it never went anywhere.

"It just died," Powers said.

McDonald said Gallagher first shopped the legislation in 2007, but it was too late in the session for the Judiciary Committee to act. In 2008, "we were swamped" with a debate over a law to increase penalties on violent offenders, McDonald said. He said he discussed the proposal last year with members of the Connecticut Catholic Conference after Powers submitted the legislation.

Powers, who did not seek re-election, said she felt badly that McDonald is taking so much criticism. But she declined to give her opinion on the proposal.

"I'm not going to go there," Powers said 2

COMMENT #1

It Is All About Who You Know In Greenwich

Greenwich Roundup Die Hard Catholic Readers Are Saying That....

No Tom Gallagher is registered to vote in Greenwich, but he was able to get Ex -Greenwich Representative Dolly Powers to get this proposal advanced.

These same Catholic readers of Greenwich Roundup are sending more and more details on this mystery man leading the Connecticut General Assembly around.

These angry and worked up Catholics are pointing out that Tom Gallagher was involved in shutting down the Greenwich wiffle ball field, but this has nothing to do about accountability in each of the town's Catholic Churches.

It is about time that someone stand up to these bullies. Priests seem to do whatever and whoever they want...and get away with it.

Regulating the financial activities of any organization is a legitimate function of government. Just because the organization is a church does not make any difference. It is not as if the government is legislating liturgy or faith, just money.

Committed Greenwich laypeople, provide pretty much all the financial resources to their local Catholic Church and have no say in how that money is spent.

If this legislation had already been in place, the Catholic Church would have avoided much of the financial fallout from the sexual abuse scandals, containing the financial responsibility to individual parishes

Local Parish's Would Be Responsible For The Behavior Of Their Local Priest.

Local Church Trustees Might Not Look The Other Way As A Priest Pulls Up In A New Jaguar Showing Off His New Carrier Watch And Talking About His Lavish Travels And The Lunch He Just Had At The Four Seasons

There is no chance whatsoever of the Institutional Catholic Church making a change in this direction without pressure from somewhere outside the Church

This Bill Would Strip Priests Of Sole Financial Control Of Non-Profit Funds And Shift It To A Board Of Directors Composed Of Church Parishioners.

The Greenwich And State Press Outlets Are To Afraid Of A Catholic Bishop Backlash To Fairly Report That.....

This Bill In No Way Restricts Any Ones Right To Practice Their Religion

Poor Financial Controls Allowed A Million Dollars Intended To Help The Poor To Go To Un-Godly And Sinful Waste.

God Wants Us And Church Leaders To Be

Fiscally Responsible With Church Funds.

Jesus Tells The Story Of The Boss Who Gave Money To His Various Servants And Went Away For A Week. When He Returned He Was Pleased With The Servant Who Increased His Master's Wealth. He Punished The Servant That Hid The Money And Did Nothing With It.

Jesus Told The Story Of The Prodigal Son Who Was Wasteful With His Money.Although He Was Forgiven And Accepted Back Into The Family, Misusing His Inheritance Led To Great Misery.

Perhaps Bishop Lori Should Listen And ....

"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”

(Matthew 22:21)

This phrase has become a widely quoted summary of the relationship between Christianity and secular authority. The original message, coming in response to a question of whether it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Caesar, gives rise to multiple possible interpretations about whether it is desirable for the Christian to submit to earthly authority. Interpretations include the belief that it is good and appropriate to submit to the state when asked, that spiritual demands supersede earthly demands but do not abolish them, or that the demands of the state are non-negotiable.

Separation of church and state

Jesus can be interpreted to be saying that his religious teachings were separate from earthly political activity. This reading finds support in John 18:36, where Jesus responds to Pontius Pilate about the nature of his kingdom, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” This reflects a traditional division in Christian thought by which state and church have separate spheres of influence.

Jesus asked his interrogators to produce a coin in order to demonstrate to them that by using his coinage they had already admitted the de facto rule of the emperor, and that therefore they should submit to that rule.

Bishop Lori Should Go Dig In His File Cabinet And Look For That His Church's Non-Profit Corporation Papers And See That Big Fat Connecticut State Seal On It.

Then He Should Go Pull Out Those Non-Profit Tax Reports That He Files With The State And The IRS Every Year.

If The Government Wants A little Bit More Financial Accountability From A Non-Profit Church Then Bishop Lori Should,'Give Unto Ceaser What Is Ceaser's"

A Christian might be against the war and might not wish to aid the war effort by paying war taxes to the government. Doing so only helps to strengthen and perpetuate the war machine.

Romans 13:1 “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God.”

If the law of the land is that everyone must pay war taxes then that is what we must do. It is the law! We should however, work and pray extremely hard to change the law. The ideal situation would be to have the law abolished. The alternative would be to have a choice of designating our portion of the war tax towards efforts of peacemaking. This route would be a more lawful, constructive and positive effort.

Actually, Greenwich Roundup Studied This Issue In A Harvest Time Church Class, That Featured Preacher John Bevere, Last Tuesday. The Harvest Time Church Class Was About Honoring Civil Authorities.

Believe It Or Not There Are Some In That Class That Suggested That I Am Not Respectful Enough Of Local Civil Authorities.

Some Have Suggested That I Do Not Show Proper Respect For This Offices Of Local Authorities And Wonder If I Pray For Them And Their Families As They Serve Our Community.

Well They Have A Point And I Am Reconsidering My Approach To Reporting.

This Week The John Bever Class Is About Honoring Your Employer, Which Is A Piece Of Cake For Greenwich Roundup, Because He Is Self Employed.

Fortunately, The John Bever Class For Honoring Church Authorities Is Not For A Few More Weeks, So I Will Continue ....

On Thing I Like About Harvest Time Church Is That The Pastor Is Removed Blind To Who Donates What To The Church. The Church Board Has Set Things Up So That The Pastoral Staff Has No Idea Who Gave Six Bucks Or Gave Six Figures.

This Is Done So That Everyone Is Treated The Same In The Church.

Every Year Two New Trustees Are Elected To The Church Board And Two Trustees Leave The Church Board.

If A Major Purchase Is To Be Made By The Church, Then The Church Calls A Business Meeting Is Called And The Matter Is Debated. This Was Done Last Year When The Church Voted On Buying A New Piece Of Property.

Last Wednesday Harvest Time Church Held It's Annual Meeting And Greenwich Roundup Received A Bound Detailed Financial Report With Certified Accounting Statements And Reports From Every Church Ministry And Activity.

Because Of These Fiscal Controls, Greenwich Roundup Knows That When He Gives A Buck To Harvest Time Church About 25% Goes To Reach Out To The Poor.

Actually, Greenwich Roundup Is Proud To Be A Member Of A Church That Gave Over $500,000 To Missions That Help The Poor.

Greenwich Roundup Has Never Lost A Minute Of Sleep Worrying That Harvest Time Pastor Glen Haverson Will Skim $1.4 Million From The Church Offering And Set Up A Secret Bank Account That To Support A Lavish Lifestyle And An Affair With A Lover. If Greenwich Round Up Knows That It Is Impossible That Pastor Glen Can Traveled Throughout The World And Frequent The Four Season and Ritz Carlton Hotels. Drove A Jaguar, And Purchased Cartier Jewelry With Church Funds.

But All Of These Horrible Things Could Happen Again On Bishop Lori's Watch, Because He Is Resisting The Biblical Principal Of Financial Accountability.

I Will Now Get Off My Soap Box And Close With One Last Thought

Being Born A Jew And Knowing That A Rabbi Can Be Asked Any Question In The Temple I Always Get A Kick Out Of Reading The Four Gospels

I Always Admired Jesus’s skill in thinking on his feet.

With the above parable, questioners tried to trap Jesus between the horns of a dangerous either/or question, and he deftly gave an answer that meet the question head-on.

In another incident (Matthew 21:23-27, Luke 20:1-8, Mark 11:27-33), Jesus reverses the roles — putting his critics between the horns of a dilemma when he asks “John’s baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?”:

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

Hartford, Conn., Mar 10, 2009 / 11:35 am (CNA).- Catholics around the country are upset over a new bill in the Connecticut Senate that, in the words of the Archbishop of Hartford, "forces a radical reorganization of the legal, financial, and administrative structure of our parishes." The bill, which bears resemblance to Voice of the Faithful’s Strategic Plan, is being supported by Dr. Paul Lakeland, who believes that in this case it’s appropriate to use state legislation to force the Church’s hand.

Dr. Paul Lakeland, Fairfield University Chair of Catholic Studies, Voice of the Faithful member, former Jesuit Priest, and author of several books including “The Liberation of the Laity: In Search of an Accountable Church,” recently discussed his support for Connecticut’s controversial Bill No. 1098 with CNA. Dr. Lakeland is also scheduled to testify before the Connecticut General Assembly on behalf of the bill.

The premise of the bill is remarkably similar to the 2009-2010 Voice of the Faithful Strategic Plan. “The VOTF,” as Dr. Lakeland explains, “grew up in response to the sex abuse scandals here. One of the things that became rapidly apparent, among both liberals and conservatives, was the sense that the bishops hadn’t done a very good job of handling this.”

Explaining his connection to the bill Dr. Lakeland said, “I’m connected to [the bill] to this degree: I’ve been working pretty closely with Tom Gallagher, who’s a Greenwich businessman, who has been behind the push to get the state government to do something about this. Even though, I don’t think, even he was involved in putting the legislation together.”......

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Jerks Like Henry Kravis Cause America And The World To Hate Greenwich.....

We Sure Hope Henry Kravis Likes Sitting DownBy John Carney Forget what you've heard about the end of conspicuous consumption. The big hitters are still out there spending like mad. Last month, as you may have heard, Christies auctioned off items from the Yves Saint-Laurentcollection for a total of $431 million. Over at Gawker, Owen Thomas points out that the prize for decadence at this "orgy of consumption" goes to an arm-chair that sold for $28 million.

Of course, the person holding the paddle in Paris was dealer Cheska Vallois, who has been suspected of secretly making purchases for Kravis before. In 2004, rumor had it that he'd purchased an entire suite of furniture by early 20th-century designer Armand-Albert Rateau.

"There are still a lot of extremely wealthy people out there," Christie's managing director Edward Dolman told Bloomberg of the auction which included the "Dragons" armchair, designed by Eileen Gray.

Just not ones who invested with Kravis. KKR Private Equity and KKR Financial, two publicly traded affiliates of Kravis's KKR & Co. buyout firm, have had heavy writedowns on their stakes in debt-laden firms and mortgage and corporate bonds. KPE, which raised $5 billion in 2006, is down 91 percent; KFN is down 95 percent since its 2005 IPO.The Business Insider - http://www.businessinsider.com/

TC Commented:

I hate to quote Frank Rich here, but in this weekend's NYT, he hit it spot on: "The level of taste flaunted by America’s upper caste at the bubble’s height had less in common with the Medicis than, say, Uday and Qusay Hussein."

At least the Medicis left us Tuscany. Will tens of thousands of, say, Chinese or Mongolians, or whoever rules the world in 2610, come and tour the historic McChateaux, dog boutiques and organic coffee shops of Greenwich, CT in the 27th century?

Hari_Seldon Added:

Exactly TC. Exactly.

Also, the Hamptons will have washed out to sea.

Palladio Continued:

I hope his shareholders and investors are sitting down when they read this. I don't care how much cash Henry has stashed away, it takes a lot of cajones to spend $28M on a chair when your shareholders are out 91% on their money. Did he buy an YSL designer asshat to go with it?

Lifeisgood Says:

Solid stuff TC. I've hung out at Martha Stewart's Greenwich shack, and the "S & M" dungeon I can attest rivals anything the Hussein boys designed. The cuffs are 14k gold and a real Versace rack. Martha's own line of hot glue guns for everyone...

I also believe there will be guided tours of the Media Rooms/home theatres of fallen Masters of TU

Hugues da mousse said:

Upon reading your headline I thought it meant he was funding a chair at a university -- shows how naive I am

Historian Remarked:

" Will tens of thousands of, say, Chinese or Mongolians, or whoever rules the world in 2610, come and tour the historic McChateaux, dog boutiques and organic coffee shops of Greenwich, CT in the 27th century? "

No, they will fly around in their jet-packs to view how capitalism ended, look at the rubble of the cardboard mansions with fake brick fronts and pick up a few worthless treasury bonds on the way to wallpaper their mansions

Tim said:

"McChateaux" won't qualify for architectural greatness in 500 years, that's for sure. The comparison of usage of wealth between the Medicis and the McWealthy was spot on.

R.S. Granoff Architects has expanded its office and renewed its lease of 6,100 square feet on the second floor of 30 W. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich. The new space includes an updated conference center.

As part of the deal, R.S. Granoff will vacate 1,000 square of retail space it had leased temporarily.

R.S. Granoff and the building owner, Pyramid Real Estate Group of Stamford, represented themselves in lease negotiations.

MORE INFORMATION:

Richard S. Granoff has led his firm, R. S. Granoff Architects, founded in 1989, on “a multitude of interesting projects.” He has designed more than 100 homes, renovated dozens of commercial buildings, and built more than 1 million square feet of office space. He particularly enjoyed designing the mini-buildings featured on page 66 because the projects called on his architectural creativity—he had fun with, and got to inject some whimsy into, these amazing accessory structures. His firm has offices in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Southampton, New York. Granoff has also established two other businesses: Charles Rich Design/Build (1991), in Southampton, New York, which designs, builds, and develops high-end vacation houses; and Fountainhead Homes (1997), a real estate development company that develops ultra-luxury homes in the Greenwich market.

Becker Chicaiza of Becker Salon, left, with Phyllis Ayman, of How to Say it With STYLE

When it comes to landing a job, especially in today’s challenging times, personal appearance does count. To help job seekers look their best from head to toe, Becker Salon on Mason Street in Greenwich and How to Say it With STYLE are teaming up with a special package for new customers, “Highlighting with Style.”

Available March 16 through May 15, the package includes a full head of highlights (normally $150 to $200) for $100 and a complimentary one-hour image consultation with How to Say it with STYLE. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to Kids in Crisis. Existing customers at Becker Salon will receive a 30 percent discount on all color services.

“We want to help women in this difficult economy the best way we can,” said Becker Chicaiza, founder and owner of Becker Salon. “Highlights, which we are offering at a special price, add dimension to the hair, create a sophisticated look and can brighten one’s appearance,” he added. This year, Becker brings a new repertoire of color techniques to the salon after participating in the L’Oréal Professionnel World Education Tour and attending the Mondial Coiffure Beauté in Paris last fall. There, Becker received a second-place award at a competition among hairdressers from around the globe at the Alexandre School.

Whether entering or re-entering the work force, women will benefit from a fresh and updated look, according to Phyllis Ayman, founder and president of the Greenwich-based How to Say it With STYLE, a firm that advises customers on creating their best image through style and fashion. “Fashion choices can convey a lot about a person, so therefore job seekers need to present themselves in the best possible light,” said Ms. Ayman. The one-hour consultation, to be scheduled at the customer’s convenience, will cover how to build an appropriate wardrobe for the job market and will include a fashion profile, analysis of body type and appropriate shapes and contours, suggestions for the most flattering colors and wardrobe essentials.

Opened in 2007, Becker Salon has quickly developed a following in the region. The salon provides a boutique-like and intimate setting and prides itself on individual relationships with customers. Becker’s mission is to highlight the beauty of every person who enters the salon through the magic touch of his hands and to make this experience an unforgettable moment of great transformation. Becker and his staff have trained in Manhattan, London, Paris and Milan so they can offer the highest level of professionalism.

Phyllis Ayman is an image consultant and a certified fashion stylist from the New England Fashion Council. She also has her own jewelry line, Filay DESIGNS, now five years old, which is available through custom order and sold in local boutiques and shows. How to Say it With STYLE was a participating sponsor of the National Council of Women’s Organizations and Foreign Diplomats 2009 Presidential Inaugural Balls in Washington, D.C.

Becker Salon is also pleased to once again help Kids in Crisis. The salon has already donated nearly $6,000 to the organization during the past year from different programs.

Kids in Crisis, http://www.kidsincrisis.org/ , is Connecticut’s only free, round-the-clock agency providing emergency shelter, crisis counseling and community educational programs for children of all ages and families dealing with a wide range of crises—domestic violence, mental health and family problems, substance abuse, economic difficulties and more. Since its founding in 1978, Kids in Crisis, has helped more than 89,000 Connecticut children and families; in 2008, more than 9,280 children and families received assistance from the organization.

Becker Salon is located at 268 Mason Street in Greenwich. To make an appointment for “Highlighting with Style,” new customers can call 203-340-9550. For further information about Becker Salon, please visit http://www.beckersalon.com/ .

================================================================Please send your comments and Press Releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com or click on the comments link at the end of this post.

Patrick Doulin, Vice President, Regional Commercial Banking Team Leader: Doulin joins Provident Bank with more than 30 years of banking experience. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President, Regional Commercial Executive, Commercial Banking for HSBC Bank USA, N.A. in Greenwich, Conn. In his new role with Provident Bank, Doulin will manage the commercial banking team members and develop complex commercial banking business for the bank in the greater Westchester County area

WIERD NEWS: American Energy Group, an oil and gas drilling company that has interests in Pakistan has a CEO that maybe a victim of selective ape enforcement

DEP spokesman Dennis Schain denied there was selective enforcement, saying there was a formal complaint about Koby the ape that triggered an investigation

Prosecution's case against Onthank comes down to two things: the apes weight and the date it came to Connecticut

Onthank's is one of 47 cases now being prosecuted in the state for possession of wildlife without a permit

THE QUOTES:

"I did all the right things. I followed all of the rules that I know of -- period," said Pierce Onthank, . "I took this monkey to the vet. I had him tested. He had all the proper health certificates from the vet, attesting to the fact that he is in excellent health. I took him to the preserve. I don't think I did anything wrong.

"All the kids in the neighborhood have grown up with that monkey -- that same monkey for years," said Charlotte O'Brien, a classmate of one of the Onthanks' sons at Roger Ludlowe High School, "That's why they call that "the monkey house.'"

FAIRFIELD -- The prosecution's case against Pierce Onthank for illegal possession of a primate comes down to two things -- the simian's weight and the date it acquired Connecticut residency.

On Monday he told the Connecticut Post to his knowledge he did nothing illegal and was keeping the animal to rehabilitate it, not as a pet.

Onthank, a longtime conservationist and corporate chief executive officer at a Westport-based energy firm, appeared in Superior Court in Stamford Monday on a single charge lobbed by wildlife enforcement officers with the state Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP has accused him of illegal possession of a primate. The matter stems from Onthank taking his siamang gibbon Koby to the Lionshare Zoological Center in Greenwich last summer, where he arranged for it to be cared for......

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Six weeks before a 200-pound chimpanzee nearly mauled a woman to death, state officials were cracking down on the owner of a 14-pound siamang that was still wearing diapers made for infants.

Pierce Onthank, the president of an oil and gas company, was charged in January with illegal possession of a primate for keeping a siamang, a type of gibbon that is native to rain forests in Malaysia and Indonesia and can weigh up to 30 pounds and stand 3 feet high.

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection says he never had the required permit.

The owner of Travis, the chimpanzee who mauled the woman, also did not have a permit. But Travis was allowed to go unmonitored, while the owner of Koby the siamang gibbon is facing a court hearing and possible fine.

"I'm very disturbed," said state Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington. "It simply points out to me why we need to have definitive legislation on this issue.".....

.....The charge against Onthank, who could face a fine of less than $500, comes a month after a Stamford woman, Charla Nash, was mauled by Travis, a former television commercial star. Nash, 55, is hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Police shot and killed Travis but haven't decided if they will file charges against owner Sandra Herold.

DEP officials knew of Travis from a 2003 incident in which he escaped from a moving vehicle and led police on a two-hour chase through downtown Stamford. But they did not enforce the permitting requirement because they had no other complaints about him.....

......Officials in Fairfield, where Onthank lives, have registered 16 incidents involving his dogs, and neighbors had complained he had 12 monkeys, a tortoise, large iguanas and an otter.....

....Onthank's wife said Sunday that Koby, age 2, weighs about 14 pounds and wears diapers.

Experts say siamang gibbons are powerful and are potentially dangerous to humans.

"Primates are basically unpredictable," said Stephen Rene Tello, executive director of Primarily Primates, a sanctuary in Texas that has offered to take the siamang. "That animal will change into an aggressive wild animal very quickly."......

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GREENWICH, CT - TICC Capital Corp. (NASDAQ: TICC) announced today that it will report 2008 year end earnings on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET. The toll free dial-in number will be 1-800-860-2442. There will be a recording available for 30 days. If you are interested in hearing the recording, please dial 877-344-7529. The replay pass-code number is 428726.

About TICC Capital Corp.

We are a publicly traded business development company principally engaged in providing capital to small to mid-size technology-related companies. While the structures of our financings vary, we look to invest primarily in the debt of established technology-related businesses. Companies interested in learning more about financing opportunities should contact Deep Maji at (203) 983-5285 or visit our website at http://www.ticc.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

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STAMFORD -- A 75-year-old grandfather can now stand trial in the September slaying of his ex-daughter-in-law after a judge ruled him competent Monday.

Gerardo Lombardi of Pemberwick is accused of stabbing and shooting to death Alison McKnight-Lombardi in the backyard of 36 Nicholas Ave., the property next to his home. He is charged with first-degree murder.

In state Superior Court Monday, Julie Jacobs, a social worker with Connecticut Valley Hospital, testified that Lombardi's competency has been restored following 60 days of treatment at Whiting Forensic Institute in Middletown

After completing an evaluation program, accused murderer Gerardo Lombardi has been deemed fit to stand trial.

Superior Court Judge Richard Comerford made his ruling Monday morning after a report from licensed social worker Julie Jacobs, who evaluated Mr. Lombardi during a 60-day period. In December, Judge Comerford had ruled that Mr. Lombardi, 75, was unfit but the hope had been that after a combination of instruction and medication at the Whitney Forensic Institute in Hamden he would be able to understand the nature of the charges against him and assist in his own defense.

On Monday, Ms. Jacobs, who works for the Connecticut Valley Hospital Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, testified that had happened and Judge Comerford will now move the case back to the court’s pre-trial docket.

Mr. Lombardi is accused of murdering his ex-daughter-in-law, Alison McKnight, on Sept. 4. Police say Ms. McKnight, who had reportedly been embroiled in a property dispute with Mr. Lombardi, was shot and stabbed multiple times. Police said Mr. Lombardi was found at the scene of the crime holding a gun and knife, and the prosecution has alleged he confessed while in police custody. Ms. McKnight and Mr. Lombardi’s son were married for 30 years before divorcing last year.

Mr. Lombardi has been charged with first degree murder in Ms. McKnight’s death.

On the stand during the brief hearing on Monday, Ms. Jacobs said Mr. Lombardi was now able to understand the charges against him and assist his defense through education. She described one-on-one education sessions as well as group sessions two to three times a week where he was told about court procedures and rules. Ms. Jacobs said the charges were fully explained to Mr. Lombardi, who was assisted throughout the hearing by an Italian interpreter, as well as what potential punishment he could face if convicted.

Ms. Jacobs testified that Mr. Lombardi is not taking any medication for mental disorders and that the only medicine he is taking is for Parkinson’s disease and some Ambien for sleeping problems. Ms. Jacobs said that Mr. Lombardi’s Parkinson’s was not causing mental problems and that the 60-day evaluation confirmed the initial assessment when he was admitted that he did not suffer from any “thought disorder process.”

“There weren’t any signs that Mr. Lombardi is suffering from any thought disorder or showing any signs of psychosis,” Ms. Jacobs testified.

Mr. Lombardi is next due in court on March 30, at which time it will be determined if a probable cause hearing is required. Mr. Lombardi’s attorney, public defender Howard Ehring, told Judge Comerford that he had spoken previously to his client about whether they would ask for the hearing, but had not since the evaluation program had been completed. He is expected to have an answer for the judge at the March 30 appearance.